Blood: Donation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of donated blood was used in each year since 1999.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available for the entire time period, as data for full 12 month periods have only been submitted and collated since 2005-06.
	The Blood Stocks Management Scheme (BSMS) was established by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in 2001 with the aim of understanding and improving blood inventory management across the blood supply chain. Hospitals in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland currently submit data on blood usage to the scheme. However, it is important to note that participation is voluntary, and although the majority of hospitals now submit data to the scheme this has gradually increased since its inception.
	The following table shows the number of hospitals in England and North Wales providing data to the BSMS; the percentage of units transfused; and the percentage of units not transfused in each year since 2005-06:
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Whole blood donations collected (thousand) 2,039 1,971 1,972 
			 Red cells validated (thousand)(1) 1,939 1,876 1,838 
			 Red cells expired 6 6 3 
			 Red cells issuable 1,933 1,870 1,835 
			 Percentage red cells issuable 94.8 94.9 95.2 
			 Red cells issued (thousand) 1,941 1,873 1,825 
			 Number of hospitals participating(2) 119 119 112 
			 Percentage transfused(3) 97.1 99.8 100.4 
			 Percentage not transfused 2.2 2.2 2.6 
			 (1) A validated unit of red cells is one that has been processed, tested, and labelled/validated as fit for issue to hospitals. (2) Participating hospitals have only been submitting data on units transfused for a full 12 months since 2005-06. (3) Figures stated for the percentage of units transfused and not transfused are based on data submitted by hospitals compared against NHSBT figures for number of units issued. There is a small degree of duplication in submitted data due to the transfer of blood between hospitals, meaning some figures exceed 100.  Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Dementia

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on what dates  (a) he,  (b) his Ministers and  (c) his officials met HM Treasury Ministers and officials to discuss his Department's national dementia strategy;
	(2)  what consideration he gave to announcing to Parliament the funding settlement for the national dementia strategy;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's funding proposal for the national dementia strategy.

Phil Hope: The Department and Her Majesty's Treasury had regular keep in touch meetings to discuss upcoming policies and discussions about the National Dementia Strategy which took place on an ongoing basis in the months prior to the launch of the Strategy.
	Parliament was informed of the publication of the National Dementia Strategy on 3 February by means of a written parliamentary statement. hon. Members were also informed that copies of the Strategy had been placed in the Vote Office, and in the Library. The Strategy itself did not refer to funding. However, the impact assessment, published on the Department's website alongside the Strategy, set out in detail the potential costs associated with different implementation options.
	The Department has announced funding of £150 million to support implementation of the National Dementia Strategy in 2009-10 and 2010-11. An outline of indicative costs for implementing the strategy are set out in the Impact Assessment for the Strategy, available of the Department's website, although decisions on funding for future years will be made in the light of learning from the demonstrator sites and evidence gathering of the first two years. This information is contained with "Living well with dementia: A National Dementia Strategy" which has already been placed in the Library.

Dementia

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to monitor the development of models of housing to meet the needs of people with dementia and their carers.

Phil Hope: Decisions about monitoring implementation of the National Dementia Strategy, including the housing elements, will be taken during 2009-10 by the Older People and Dementia Programme Board.

Dementia: Care Homes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he plans to publish guidance for care home staff on best practice in dementia care;
	(2)  what timetable he has set for care homes to identify a senior staff member within the home to take the lead for quality improvement in its care of people with dementia; and what funding he has allocated for the purpose.

Phil Hope: The Department will develop guidance on best practice for care home staff during 2009-10.
	We will look to care homes identifying a senior member of staff to lead on dementia care as soon as possible, taking account of the priority attached to implementation of the National Dementia Strategy. Guidance will be issued to care homes during the course of 2009-10 on best: practice in dementia care.

Dementia: Elderly

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who sits on his Department's programme board for older people and dementia.

Phil Hope: Representatives from Age Concern, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Help the Aged, the Local Government Association, the Alzheimer's Society, the Commission for Social Care Inspection, Better Government for Older People, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Care Quality Commission have been invited to serve on the Board alongside departmental officials responsible for the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy.

Dementia: Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects hospitals to identify a senior clinician to take the lead for quality improvement in dementia; and what funding he is making available for that post;
	(2)  when he expects hospitals to develop an explicit care pathway for the management and care of people with dementia.

Phil Hope: We will look to hospitals to identify a senior clinician to commence work on quality improvement in dementia and also to develop a care pathway for people with dementia as soon as possible, taking account of the priority attached to implementation of the National Dementia Strategy.
	The Department has made available £150 million to fund implementation of the National Dementia Strategy. Decisions on funding individual objectives of the strategy will be taken locally.